Pecan Crusted Salmon with Sorrel Cream Sauce

Recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine July 1996 featuring The Pepper Mill Restaurant in Clearwater, Florida and husband tested in Alice’s kitchen

Here's another great recipe in which you can use sorrel for a creamy sauce for salmon. It's easy to make but it has a wow factor. Sorrel is now available from a local farmer at Lost River Market & Deli and also at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Try Sensational Sorrel Soup too. The recipe is on this blog.

Sauce
1/2 cup (packed) chopped fresh sorrel or spinach
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
ground white pepper

Fish
1/2 cup pecans (about 2 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
4 6-ounce salmon fillets

For Sauce: Combine sorrel, wine and shallots in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sorrel wilts, about 2 minutes. Add cream and lime juice. Boil until reduced to sauce consistency, about 12 minutes. Transfer sauce to blender. Purée until almost smooth. Return sauce to same saucepan. Season with ground white pepper and salt. (Can be made one day in advance. Keep chilled and then reheat on low before serving.)

For Fish: Finely grind pecans, tarragon and basil in processor. Blend in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl. (Nut mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let nut mixture stand at room temperature 30 minutes before using.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil large baking sheet. Arrange salmon on prepared sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon equal amount of nut mixture over top of each fillet.
Bake salmon until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring sauce to simmer.
Using spatula, transfer salmon to plates. Spoon sauce around fish. Serves 4.